Drinking glass



M. E. HUMKE DRINKING GLASS Sept. 15, 1959 Filed July 2, 1956 INVENTORMflUR/CE E- HUM/(E ,4 TTOR/YEX DRINKING GLASS Maurice E. Humke, Dubuque,Iowa Application July 2, 1956, Serial No. 595,217

8 Claims. (Cl. 46-116) My invention relates to drinking glasses and hasparticular adaptation for use by small children.

The primary object herein is to provide a drinking glass which servesthe additional purpose of a piggy bank for the reception of a small coinor similar article, and which includes means making possible the widthdrawal of the coin or article only after the glass has been tiltedsufficiently so that in ordinary use it would result in the contentsbeing emptied. Thus, for purposes of encouraging the child to drink thecontents such as milk, juices, or the like, he will be able to retrievethe article which has been inserted after he has emptied the glass.

Another object of this invention is to provide a glass of the aboveclass wherein different openings in the glass are provided for theadmission and exit of the coin or the like, and wherein said openings donot affect the utility of the glass as such.

A further object of this invention is to decorate the respectiveopenings for the coin or article with suitable means that will add tothe enjoyment and entertainment of the child in using it.

nited States Patent ice ing 18 is provided by inclining such openingdownwardly into base 12 as shown in Fig. 3.

Thus constructed with glass in upright position, an object such as acoin 28 can be inserted into slot 16 where it will come to rest in well24 and from which it cannot normally be removed through slot 16. Thenwith the front of the glass 10 or opening 18 facing the user the glasscan be tilted toward the user to at least a horizontal plane wherebycoin 28 slides in passageway to the apex 22 and when the glass is againrighted, the coin will slide down the vertical portion of passageway 20Still another object here is to provide a drinking glass for the purposeindicated wherein the object inserted is not discharged by the tiltingof the glass but merely seats itself in the exit opening in a positionfrom which it can be manually removed after the glass is righted.

Other objects and advantages of this invention resides in the details ofconstruction and correlation of the various parts and will be apparentas the description proceeds.

This invention consists of novel parts and combination of parts to behereinafter described whereby the objects set forth are attained, aspointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are respective perspective views of this invention showingopposite sides thereof, and,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings a drinking tumbler or glass is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 10 and while in outward appearance it is notdissimilar from ordinary drinking glasses, it is formed with a basesection or false bottom 12 below the fluid containing chamber 14. At onepoint on the circumference of base 10 which can be referred to as theback side (Fig. 1) I provide a slot 16 and on the opposite side (Fig. 2)which I will call the front side I provide the opening 18 positionedslightly below the plane of slot 16. Connecting the slot 16 and opening18 is a passageway 20 which extends from slot 16, first substantiallyhorizontally into base 12 about midway and then curves upwardly aroundthe bottom of chamber 14 to an apex 22 which is higher than opening 18and then extends vertically into communication with such opening.

Adjacent slot 16, passageway 20 is enlarged as at 24 so as to form ashallow well below the level of the Slot opening and a second shallowwell 26 adjacent openand come to rest in well 26 in such a position thatit partially projects from opening 18. From this point it can bemanually retreived.

The glass can be completely inverted with the same results and the coin,contrary to the usual expected result, is not discharged by the tilting,but will be found in opening 18 after the glass is righted.

As pointed out in the objects above, the primary purpose herein is toprovide means to encourage children to consume the contents of the glasssuch as milk, juices or the like and to add to the pleasure andenjoyment of its use I have placed the cartoon character of a pig 30 onthe back side to indicate the deposit slot for their piggy bank, and onthe front side I have used a cartoon character in the form of a clownshead 32 so positioned that opening 18 serves as the clowns open mouth.Thus when the glass is righted, the coin lays in the clowns mouth as ifit were a tongue.

It will be understood that use of the term glass herein refers only to adrinking tumbler or receptacle and not to the material of which thisitem can be made since any suitable material can be employed. It willalso be appreciated that this invention need not be limited to the useof a coin since the size of the opening, slot and passageway can beadapted for candy balls and the like without departing from theprinciple disclosed.

It is submitted that the invention shown and described is aptly suitedto achieve the purposes intended and is characterized by a combinationof highly useful and mutually cooperating elements that combine theirrespective and proportionate functions in accomplishing the objectssought to be obtained.

It will be understood that the phraseology employed herein is for thepurpose of description and not for limitation and that modifications andchanges in the construction and arrangement of this invention can bemade within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from thespirit and purpose thereof. It is thus intended to cover by the claims,any modified forms of structure or mechanical equivalents which may bereasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a drinking glass, a receptacle suitable for drinking purposes,said receptacle provided with a false bottom, said false bottom closedfrom communication with said receptacle, said bottom provided with afirst and second opening respectively on respective opposite sidesthereof, a passageway extending from said first opening in a curved pathupwardly to an apex within said bottom above said second openingand thendownwardly to said second opening, and said openings and passagewayconstructed and arranged to be of sufiicient size to allow the freepassage therethrough of an object such as a coin or the like.

2. In a drinking glass, a receptacle suitable for drinking purposes,said receptacle provided with a false bottom, said bottom provided witha first and second opening respectively on respective opposite sidesthereof, a passageway extending from said first opening in a curved pathupwardly to an apex within said bottom above said second opening andthen downwardly to said second opening, said first opening designed forreceiving an object such as a coin or the like, said second openingdesigned for the exit of such object, said passageway having a firstshallow well adjacent said first opening so that an object inserted insaid first opening will rest in said well and cannot be discharged outof said first opening, said passageway provided with a second shallowwelladjacent said second opening, and by tilting said receptacle so thatsaid apex is on a lower plane than 'said first opening, an object insaid first well will slide in said passageway to said apex, and byreturning said apex to a higher plane than said first opening the objectwill slide in said passageway and come to rest in said second Well fromwhich it can be manually withdrawn through said second opening.

3. A deviceas defined in claim 2 including a suitable cartoon characterdesign on said receptacle so positioned that said second opening formsthe open mouth thereof. 4. In a' device of the class described, an opentop container suitable for use as a drinking glass, said containerhaving a base portion and a fluid containing portion, said base portionprovided with a first and second opening respectively on respectiveopposite sides thereof, said first opening designed for receiving anobject such as a coin or the like, said second opening designed for theexit of such object, said openings connected by a passageway, saidpassageway provided with a first shallow well adjacent said firstopening so that an object inserted in said first opening will rest insaid well and cannot be discharged out of said first opening, saidpassageway provided with a second shallow well adjacent said secondopening, and by tilting said container so that the said apex is on alower plane than said first opening, an object in said first well willslide in said passageway to said second well, and by returning said apexto a higher plane than said first opening the object can be manuallywithdrawn through said second opening.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 including a suitable cartoon characterdesign on said container so positioned that said second opening formsthe open mouth thereof.

6. In a device of the class described, an open top container suitablefor use as a drinking glass, said container having a base portion and afluid containing portion, said base portion provided with an opening ontwo opposite sides respectively, said openings connected by apassageway, one of said openings designed for the reception of an objectsuch as a coin or the like, the other opening designed to afford a meansof exit for such object, said passageway of sufficient size to allow thefree passage therethrough of such object, neither of said openings incommunication with the interior of said container, and said passagewayextending from one opening in a curved path upwardly to an apex withinsaid base portion above the other opening and then downwardly to saidother opening.

7. In a device of the class described, an open top container suitablefor use as a drinking glass, said container having a base portion and afluid containing portion, said base portion provided with an opening ontwo opposite sides respectively, said openings connected by apassageway, neither of said openings in communication with the interiorof said container, and said passageway extending from one opening in acurved path upwardly to an apex within said base portion above the otheropening and then downwardly to said other opening.

8. In a device of the class described, an open top container suitablefor use as a drinking glass, said container having a base portion and afluid containing portion, said base portion provided with an opening ontwo opposite sides respectively, said openings connected by apassageway, said passageway provided with two respective shallow wellseach adjacent and communicating with one of said openings, neither ofsaid openings in communication with the interior of said container, andsaid passageway extending from one opening in a curved path upwardly toan apex within said base portion above the other opening and thendownwardly to said other opening.

Anagnostou July 2, 1912 Quante Apr. 3, 1934

